New York, Feb 13, 2026, 04:56 EST — Premarket
- Apple ended the previous session off 5% at $261.73, but in premarket moves, shares ticked up 0.1%.
- Traders are sifting through word of hurdles facing Apple’s planned Siri update, along with a letter from the U.S. FTC regarding Apple News.
- Later Friday, attention turns to U.S. January CPI data—numbers that could shake up expectations for rate cuts.
Apple Inc shares edged 0.1% higher to $262.03 in Friday’s premarket, clawing back a sliver after a 5% drop left them at $261.73 at Thursday’s close.
Apple’s retreat carries weight, given its outsize influence on U.S. indexes. Tech stocks dragged the market lower Thursday, souring sentiment for risk. “We see this as a ‘prove it’ year for AI,” said Jack Herr, primary investment analyst at GuideStone Funds, as investors worried over which firms can actually convert artificial intelligence investment into earnings. Reuters
The next hurdle for markets arrives at 8:30 a.m. ET, when the U.S. consumer price index (CPI) lands. That’s the government’s headline inflation read. Economists, according to Reuters, expect a 0.3% bump in January—same as December. Core CPI, which strips out food and energy, is also forecast to climb 0.3%.
Apple is reportedly facing internal challenges with its revamped, more personalized Siri, according to Bloomberg. The upgrade, pegged for iOS 26.4 and eyed for a March release, isn’t going smoothly. MacRumors, pulling from Bloomberg’s details, noted that some Siri features might get bumped to iOS 26.5 in May—or even to iOS 27 come September. The culprit: Siri sometimes struggled with understanding queries or lagged in its responses.
Regulatory pressure ticked up as well. FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson, in a letter to CEO Tim Cook, warned that Apple’s conduct could run afoul of the FTC Act—a statute that prohibits unfair or deceptive behavior—if it doesn’t match up with the company’s own terms of service or what consumers would reasonably expect. Apple did not respond right away when Reuters asked for comment.
It hasn’t been a welcoming stretch for the broader market, as investors remain skittish over the implications of AI shakeups for both profits and employment. According to Reuters’ Morning Bid, Apple’s shares tumbled 5%, erasing some $200 billion from its market cap—the value of all its outstanding shares—in what turned out to be its roughest single day since the “Liberation Day” tariffs sent markets reeling last April. Reuters
Some of the day’s data were less straightforward. Counterpoint Research reported that total smartphone sales in China slumped 23% in January compared to last year. Still, Apple stood out—its iPhone sales actually climbed 8% year-on-year, making it the only major brand to grow in the period.
Late Thursday, Apple scored a legal victory as a U.S. jury sided with the company in a lengthy 4G wireless patent battle filed by Optis Wireless. “We’re pleased they rejected Optis’ false claims,” an Apple spokesperson said after the defense verdict. Reuters
Analysts say Apple’s focus on privacy and seamless integration might be the reason for delays, despite growing impatience in the market. Evercore ISI is sticking with its Outperform rating and a $330 price target, pointing to the likelihood that upcoming Apple Intelligence features will be introduced in phases, according to a report from Investing.com.
The outlook is messy. If CPI lands above forecasts, bond yields might pop, squeezing big tech again. Any stumble in Apple’s Siri rollout or fallout from that FTC letter would leave AAPL vulnerable.
On Friday, all eyes are on the 8:30 a.m. ET CPI print, with traders sizing up any shift in Fed rate cut expectations. Apple, for its part, is under scrutiny as questions swirl over the pace of its Siri rollout recovery and if it will tackle the FTC’s Apple News issues head-on.
